


Even the Smartest People Can Be Oblivious

by cazmalfoy



Series: Superdads [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M, Oblivious Peter, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Past Relationship(s), Secrets, Steve and Tony are Peter's Parents, Steve and Tony are friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 05:11:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16257341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cazmalfoy/pseuds/cazmalfoy
Summary: Peter was so sure there was something wrong with Bucky, and that he was hiding it from him.He didn't expect to find out that Tony, Steve AND Bucky were all hiding a secret.





	Even the Smartest People Can Be Oblivious

**Author's Note:**

> In the process of trying to get back into writing, I'm writing a little as often as I can. Hopefully this isn't too bad!

“I’m worried about Uncle Bucky.”

Across the table from Peter, Steve paused; his finger suspended in the air over where he had been scrolling through a newspaper article on his tablet. For a long moment he didn’t speak as he regarded the teenager sitting opposite him with a curious expression. “Why?” he eventually asked, not able to mask the confusion in his voice.

Peter huffed and ran a hand over the back of his head. “I think something’s wrong with his arm.” Steve didn’t speak; instead he sat patiently waiting for Peter to fully explain what the problem was. “Every time I’m on my way here, I bump into him; he’s going into the tower. Why else would he be there if his arm didn’t need fixing?”

The confused look remained on Steve’s face for another moment, until the corners of his mouth started twitching up in a smile. “Pete, you know Buck and your dad are friends,” he pointed out patiently.

The teenager scowled and slumped back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest. “I know that! But he’s _your_ best friend, not Dad’s! If he’s not there to get his arm fixed, why else would he be there so much? He’s not even _here_ that often!”

“Have you asked either of them?”

Pete shook his head sheepishly. He didn’t want to admit that he was too nervous to find out if his suspicions about his favourite uncle were correct.

Steve let out a small chuckle and shook his head. “I think you need to speak to Tony,” he said softly, reaching out and patting Peter on the arm. “Trust me, I think you’ll be surprised.”

*

Four days later, Peter was sure that Steve had forgotten their conversation; certainly neither of them had spoken about it since that day over breakfast.

Peter was getting ready to return to Stark Tower when Steve’s voice filtered down the corridor of the penthouse the former Army Captain lived in. Curiously, Pete abandoned his packing (not that he took much with him – he usually left most things at his Papa’s since he would be back there during alternate weeks, anyway), and headed out of his room.

The teenager followed the voice down the corridor and leaned over the balcony, looking down at the floor below him. Steve was sitting near the floor to ceiling window looking out over the city, with his back to Peter. He was holding a cup of tea in one hand and holding his StarkPhone to his ear with the other.

“Buck, I get it!” There was pause. “No, I do; you know that. We’ve talked about this. But you need to tell him.” Steve took a drink of his tea, listening to what his best friend was saying on the other end of the phone. “I’m not just saying this because he’s my kid, but Pete’s not an idiot. He already knows there’s something going on. He deserves to know.”

Pete drew in a sharp breath at those words and felt the world spin around him. He was right; there was something wrong with his uncle, and everyone knew about it except him.

*

Peter was silent the entire drive back to Stark Tower, lost in his thoughts. At first Steve had tried to draw him into a conversation, but eventually even he had gotten the hint and they had lapsed into silence as they navigated the streets of Manhattan.

For the first time in his life, Peter found that he didn’t want to go home.

Ever since Steve and Tony had divorced when Peter had been three years old, the younger Stark-Rogers had been splitting his time evenly between his parents’ residences. He couldn’t remember a time when he had ever wanted to stay with one parent over the other, but right then he wanted to bury himself under the blankets in the Penthouse and ignore the rest of the world.

As they got closer to Stark Tower, Peter could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Logically he knew that there was no evidence to say that his Uncle Bucky would still be at the tower, ready to drop whatever bombshell he had on Peter. But that didn’t stop him from feeling anxious.

Their valet was waiting for them as the car pulled up to the building and automatically Peter turned to Steve, ready to say bye to his Papa for another week. To his surprise, Steve turned off the engine and opened the car door. Numbly, Peter followed, trying to work out what was happening.

Wordlessly, Steve steered Peter into the building, guiding him past security who didn’t spare either of them a second glance. Friday’s voice talking to him in the elevator couldn’t even distract Peter from his thoughts of trying to work out what was happening or what he was going to find when they reached their destination.

Bucky and Tony were waiting for them when the elevator doors opened onto the Starks’ private floors, and Peter couldn’t help swallowing nervously. They both looked so serious, and even that was freaking Peter out; he wasn’t sure he could take anymore.

As soon as Tony’s brown eyes landed on Peter, a grin split across his face and he reached out, pulling the teenager into a hug. “Hey kid!” Tony greeted, pressing a kiss against Peter’s hair. “Missed you.”

Peter didn’t respond as he buried his face in Tony’s chest, breathing in his scent. He might love his Papa with all his heart, but Peter knew that he was a Daddy’s boy through and through – Tony was always going to be one he sought out when he wanted comfort.

Over Tony’s shoulder, Peter could see Bucky hovering. His uncle was wearing an odd expression that made Peter frown; he looked like he didn’t know whether he wanted to be there, or if he wanted to run as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

“What’s going on?” Peter demanded, the words coming out harsher than he meant them to be, but he wasn’t about to take them back. Not when the three adults around him shared knowing looks over his head as though he wouldn’t notice.

He huffed and pulled back from Tony, his eyes travelling over to Bucky. “Are you in pain? I read somewhere once that people’s bodies could reject prosthetics. Is that what’s happening? Is that why Dad…”

Bucky laughed and placed his flesh hand over the babbling teenager’s mouth, cutting him off mid-sentence. “Kid, there’s nothing wrong with my arm. It’s…” He hesitated, glancing over at Tony with wide eyes; obviously conflicted about _something_.

Whatever it was that he was conflicted about, Tony apparently decided to make the decision for him. “Petey, James isn’t sick,” Tony said.

 _James?_ Peter had never heard his parents call Bucky his given name. Ever. In fact,Peter hadn’t even _learnt_ Bucky’s real name until he turned 10 when his Great Aunt Peggy had yelled it across the room.

“Then, what…?”

Peter trailed off as he watched Bucky reach out with his metal (Stark Industries provided, of course) hand and interlock his fingers with Tony’s.

“What?” Peter spluttered, staring at their hands. “Since when?” he demanded, gaze rapidly flickering between Bucky, Tony and Steve.

Tony shifted uncomfortably beside Bucky. “Almost six months,” he admitted softly. Peter opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Tony continued, “I know you’ve gotta be mad at me for not telling you, but neither of us wanted to hurt you if this didn’t end up being serious.”

“I don’t believe this,” Peter muttered, shaking his head and running through his hair.

Steve placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. He didn’t say anything though; instead, allowing his son to wrap his head around what he had just been told.

“I’m such an idiot!” Peter eventually hissed, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I can’t… urgh!”

Tony and Bucky exchanged surprised looks. “Petey…”

Peter laughed and shook his head. “It’s so obvious! God, MJ is going to give me _hell_ when she finds out. I can’t believe I didn’t know!”

Behind him, Steve chuckled and wrapped his arm around Peter. “I told you he wouldn’t have a problem with it,” he muttered, glancing over at his ex-husband and best friend.

As one, Bucky and Tony released the breath they had been holding. “You’re really okay with this?” Tony asked timidly.

Peter broke out into a grin and nodded his head. “Of course,” he chided, throwing his arms around Tony once more and hugging him tightly. “I love you, Dad.”

Immediately Tony’s arms wrapped around Peter, holding the teenager tight against him. “Love you too, Petey,” he whispered, pressing a kiss against Peter’s dark hair.

They stayed like that for a moment, both of them taking comfort in the other, before Peter straightened up and stepped out of Tony’s personal space.

“Does this mean I have to call you _James?_ ” Peter asked, glancing over at the former Army sergeant and screwing up his nose. He wasn’t sure he could do it; it just wouldn’t be right.

Bucky laughed and shook his head. “Bucky still works just fine for me,” he replied, his voice soft and full of affection.

Peter grinned and, probably to everyone’s surprise, hugged Bucky as well.

“You know what all this means, right?” Peter asked, leaning his head against Bucky’s shoulder and looking over at his parents.

Steve raised a questioning eyebrow and even Tony looked curious. “I’m afraid to ask,” Steve confessed.

The grin on Peter’s face morphed into a smirk. “Now we need to find _Papa_ a boyfriend!”

*


End file.
